Editor's Choice Main Category: Diabetes Article Date: 10 May 2012 - 9:00 PDT

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George L. King, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Joslin Diabetes Center and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS), explained:

In the May 2012 edition of Diabetes Care, Dr. King, together with a team of diabetes specialists, published a report highlighting study findings that were presented in September 2011 at an international symposium held in Honolulu.

The researchers gathered evidence on the Asian American population, those born in the United States, as well as immigrants from several East Asian countries. In addition, they investigated the incidence of diabetes in Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

Even though immigration patterns and lifestyle adaptations to U.S. culture vary significantly among these groups, common threads and new insights are emerging. According to the researchers, there are considerable differences in how diabetes affects the body's chemistry, how to view body weight, and why standard diabetes tests may not be reliable in people of Asian decent.

Dr. William C. Hsu, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine at MHS, who with Dr. King co-directs the Asian American Diabetes Initiative at Joslin, explained:

Dr. Hsu, together with a team of experts, wrote a second report also published in the same edition of Diabetes Care. The team focused on the pathophysiology (disease process) of diabetes.

People of Asian decent are around 5 to 10 times less likely than people of European descent to develop type 1 diabetes. However, genetic markers and blood factors usually associated with type 1 diabetes are only present in 30% of patients of Asian descent, making it more difficult to diagnose the disease.

Therefore, solely relying on standard diabetes tests would result in a large percentage of Asians with the disease being misdiagnosed.

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Diagnosing And Treating Diabetes In Asian Patients - Unique Physiology Is Key

Public release date: 10-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Donna Krupa dkrupa@the-aps.org American Physiological Society

Bethesda, Md. (May 10, 2012)This summer's action film, "The Amazing Spider-Man," is another match-up between the superhero and his nemesis the Lizard. Moviegoers and comic book fans alike will recall that the villain, AKA Dr. Curt Connors, was a surgeon who, after losing an arm, experimented with cell generation and reptilian DNA and was eventually able to grow back his missing limb. The latest issue of the journal Physiology contains a review article that looks at possible routes that unlock cellular regeneration in general, and the principles by which hair and feathers regenerate themselves in particular. The authors apply what is currently known about regenerative biology to the emerging field of regenerative medicine, which is being transformed from fantasy to reality.

The Review is entitled "Physiological Regeneration of Skin Appendages and Implications for Regenerative Medicine" and was written by Cheng-Ming Chuong, Randall B. Widelitz, Ping Wu, and Ting-Xin Jiang of the University of Southern California, and Valerie A. Randall of the University of Bradford. It appears in the current edition of Physiology, published by the American Physiological Society.

Review Article

While the concept of regenerative medicine is relatively new, animals are well known to remake their hair and feathers regularly by normal regenerative physiological processes. In their review, the authors focus on (1) how extrafollicular environments can regulate hair and feather stem cell activities and (2) how different configurations of stem cells can shape organ forms in different body regions to fulfill changing physiological needs.

The review outlines previous research on the role of normal regeneration of hair and feathers throughout the lifespan of various birds and mammals. The researchers include what is currently known about the mechanism behind this re-growth, as well as what gaps still exist in the knowledge base and remain ripe for future research.

The review examines dozens of papers on normal "physiological regeneration"the re-growth that happens over the course of an animal's life and not in response to an injury. This regeneration takes place to accommodate different stages in an animal's life (e.g., replacing downy chick feathers with an adult chicken's, or replacing the fine facial hair of a young boy with the budding beard of an adolescent), or in response to various environmental conditions (e.g., cats shedding a thick winter coat in the summer heat but re-growing it when the seasons change again, or snowshoe hares switching from brown in the summer to white in the winter for camouflage). These changes seem to respond both to internal cues such as physiology of the hair follicle itself, or external cues such as the environment, but the mechanisms behind these normal alterations are largely unknown. Stem cells inside the follicle prompt hair and feather regeneration, but researchers are still unsure how to guide those cells to form the shape, size, and orientation of these "skin appendages" so that controlled re-growth is possible. Additionally, scientists are still unsure how to re-grow hair on skin in people after severe injuries that lead to scar tissue.

Importance of the Findings

The reviewed studies suggest that while researchers are making headway in understanding how and why hair and feathers regenerate after normal loss or in response to different life stages, much still remains unknown. This missing knowledge could hold valuable clues to learning how to regenerate much more complicated and valuable structures after loss to injury, such as fingers and toes.

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Could the ways animals regenerate hair and feathers lead to clues to restore human fingers and toes?

Review article about the state of regenerative biology published in current edition of Physiology

Newswise Bethesda, Md. (May 10, 2012)This summers action film, The Amazing Spider-Man, is another match-up between the superhero and his nemesis the Lizard. Moviegoers and comic book fans alike will recall that the villain, AKA Dr. Curt Connors, was a surgeon who, after losing an arm, experimented with cell generation and reptilian DNA and was eventually able to grow back his missing limb. The latest issue of the journal Physiology contains a review article that looks at possible routes that unlock cellular regeneration in general, and the principles by which hair and feathers regenerate themselves in particular. The authors apply what is currently known about regenerative biology to the emerging field of regenerative medicine, which is being transformed from fantasy to reality.

The Review is entitled Physiological Regeneration of Skin Appendages and Implications for Regenerative Medicine (http://bit.ly/IGC6mP) and was written by Cheng-Ming Chuong, Randall B. Widelitz, Ping Wu, and Ting-Xin Jiang of the University of Southern California, and Valerie A. Randall of the University of Bradford. It appears in the current edition of Physiology, published by the American Physiological Society.

Review Article While the concept of regenerative medicine is relatively new, animals are well known to remake their hair and feathers regularly by normal regenerative physiological processes. In their review, the authors focus on (1) how extrafollicular environments can regulate hair and feather stem cell activities and (2) how different configurations of stem cells can shape organ forms in different body regions to fulfill changing physiological needs.

The review outlines previous research on the role of normal regeneration of hair and feathers throughout the lifespan of various birds and mammals. The researchers include what is currently known about the mechanism behind this re-growth, as well as what gaps still exist in the knowledge base and remain ripe for future research.

The review examines dozens of papers on normal physiological regenerationthe re-growth that happens over the course of an animals life and not in response to an injury. This regeneration takes place to accommodate different stages in an animals life (e.g., replacing downy chick feathers with an adult chickens, or replacing the fine facial hair of a young boy with the budding beard of an adolescent), or in response to various environmental conditions (e.g., cats shedding a thick winter coat in the summer heat but re-growing it when the seasons change again, or snowshoe hares switching from brown in the summer to white in the winter for camouflage). These changes seem to respond both to internal cues such as physiology of the hair follicle itself, or external cues such as the environment, but the mechanisms behind these normal alterations are largely unknown. Stem cells inside the follicle prompt hair and feather regeneration, but researchers are still unsure how to guide those cells to form the shape, size, and orientation of these skin appendages so that controlled re-growth is possible. Additionally, scientists are still unsure how to re-grow hair on skin in people after severe injuries that lead to scar tissue.

Importance of the Findings The reviewed studies suggest that while researchers are making headway in understanding how and why hair and feathers regenerate after normal loss or in response to different life stages, much still remains unknown. This missing knowledge could hold valuable clues to learning how to regenerate much more complicated and valuable structures after loss to injury, such as fingers and toes.

Using the episodic regeneration of skin appendages as a clear readout, we have the opportunity to understand and modulate the behavior or adult stem cells and organ regeneration at a level heretofore unknown, the authors say.

NOTE TO EDITORS: The study is available online at http://bit.ly/IGC6mP To request an interview with a member of the research team please contact Donna Krupa at dkrupa@the-aps.org, @Phyziochick, or 301.634.7209.

***

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Could the Ways in Which Animals Regenerate Hair and Feathers Lead to Clues for Restoring Human Fingers and Toes?

Newswise Boston May 7, 2012 As the diabetes epidemic spreads worldwide, there is growing concern for Asian American populations, who are nearly twice as likely to develop diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes. Compounding the problem, many of the standard ways to detect diabetes fail in people of Asian descent.

The medical profession needs to be aware of and address the unique characteristics of this population, said George L. King, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Joslin Diabetes Center and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS). Without this understanding, diabetes could be misdiagnosed or missed altogether.

Dr. King was lead author of nine diabetes specialists nationwide who collaboratively wrote an article published in the May 2012 edition of Diabetes Care highlighting a comprehensive range of research findings presented at an international symposium held in Honolulu in September 2011.

The authors compiled extensive data on various groups that comprise the Asian American population, encompassing immigrants from numerous East Asian countries and those born in the United States. They also studied diabetes incidence in Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

Although there are large differences in immigration patterns and lifestyle adaptations to U.S. culture among these groups, common threads and new insights are emerging. Researchers are finding significant differences in how diabetes affects the bodys chemistry, how to view body weight, and why commonly used laboratory tests may not be reliable in Asian populations.

Type 1 diabetes can be difficult to clinically differentiate from type 2 diabetes in Asians, said Dr. William C. Hsu, M.D., who with Dr. King co-directs the Asian American Diabetes Initiative at Joslin. Dr. Hsu, an Assistant Professor of Medicine at HMS, was lead author of a team of 12 experts who wrote a second article published in the same edition of Diabetes Care. These authors focused on the pathophysiology, or the disease process, of diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is relatively rare in Asians, with incidence five to 10 times lower than in people of European descent. But diagnosing the disease is more difficult because genetic markers and blood factors generally associated with type 1 diabetes are present in only 30 percent of patients of Asian descent. In other words, simply relying on conventional tests would lead to misdiagnosis of a large percentage of Asians who have type 1 diabetes. More research is needed to learn what other biological factors in Asians patients lead to the destruction of insulin-making beta cells, resulting in type 1 diabetes. Lab tests then could be developed to detect these specific factors.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes in Asian Americans, with prevalence of diagnosed cases in recent years jumping from approximately 1 or 2 percent to 10 percent today, compared with 6 percent in the general population. Many others are undiagnosed or at risk, falling into the "pre-diabetes" category. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas produces insulin but not enough, or the bodys cells resist its effect. A risk factor commonly associated with type 2 diabetes is excess weight, often measured by calculating the body mass index (BMI).

But for Asian Americans with type 2 diabetes, the average BMI is between 24 and 25, well within the normal BMI range (1925) for the general population.

The BMI in Asian patients can be misleading. They can look quite skinny, Dr. Hsu said. Instead, were learning that a better indicator of type 2 diabetes risk in Asians is fat deposits at the waistline. More research is needed to understand how visceral fat contributes to the onset of type 2 diabetes. If detected in the pre-diabetes stage, the disease often can be prevented.

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Researchers Find Unique Physiology Is Key to Diagnosing and Treating Diabetes in Asian Populations

Public release date: 8-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jeffrey Bright jeffrey.bright@joslin.harvard.edu 617-309-1957 Joslin Diabetes Center

Boston May 7, 2012 As the diabetes epidemic spreads worldwide, there is growing concern for Asian American populations, who are nearly twice as likely to develop diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes. Compounding the problem, many of the standard ways to detect diabetes fail in people of Asian descent.

"The medical profession needs to be aware of and address the unique characteristics of this population," said George L. King, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Joslin Diabetes Center and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS). "Without this understanding, diabetes could be misdiagnosed or missed altogether."

Dr. King was lead author of nine diabetes specialists nationwide who collaboratively wrote an article published in the May 2012 edition of Diabetes Care highlighting a comprehensive range of research findings presented at an international symposium held in Honolulu in September 2011.

The authors compiled extensive data on various groups that comprise the Asian American population, encompassing immigrants from numerous East Asian countries and those born in the United States. They also studied diabetes incidence in Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

Although there are large differences in immigration patterns and lifestyle adaptations to U.S. culture among these groups, common threads and new insights are emerging. Researchers are finding significant differences in how diabetes affects the body's chemistry, how to view body weight, and why commonly used laboratory tests may not be reliable in Asian populations.

"Type 1 diabetes can be difficult to clinically differentiate from type 2 diabetes in Asians," said Dr. William C. Hsu, M.D., who with Dr. King co-directs the Asian American Diabetes Initiative at Joslin. Dr. Hsu, an Assistant Professor of Medicine at HMS, was lead author of a team of 12 experts who wrote a second article published in the same edition of Diabetes Care. These authors focused on the pathophysiology, or the disease process, of diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is relatively rare in Asians, with incidence five to 10 times lower than in people of European descent. But diagnosing the disease is more difficult because genetic markers and blood factors generally associated with type 1 diabetes are present in only 30 percent of patients of Asian descent. In other words, simply relying on conventional tests would lead to misdiagnosis of a large percentage of Asians who have type 1 diabetes. More research is needed to learn what other biological factors in Asians patients lead to the destruction of insulin-making beta cells, resulting in type 1 diabetes. Lab tests then could be developed to detect these specific factors.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes in Asian Americans, with prevalence of diagnosed cases in recent years jumping from approximately 1 or 2 percent to 10 percent today, compared with 6 percent in the general population. Many others are undiagnosed or at risk, falling into the "pre-diabetes" category. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas produces insulin but not enough, or the body's cells resist its effect. A risk factor commonly associated with type 2 diabetes is excess weight, often measured by calculating the body mass index (BMI).

Originally posted here:
Unique physiology key to diagnosing and treating diabetes in Asian populations

Are you interested in pursuing Physical Therapy as a career and need contact hours for your application to Physical Therapy School? Or are you interested in PT and wanting to gain more experience? We are an outpatient physical therapy clinic in Oro Valley (NW Tucson). We see a good variety of patients with injuries or limitations in the following categories: orthopedics, post-operative, sports, women’s health, pediatrics and neuro. Both therapists are great mentors and teachers and are highly enthusiastic and passionate about what they do. If you are interested in interning at our clinic, please contact Kim Blanchard at kvblanchard@idealrehab.com and provide the following: Name, Year in School, Expected Graduation Date, Plans/Goals for Future (if uncertain please provide what areas you are interested in and why), any prior experience in PT, any additional activities you are involved in, days and time available. Thank you, we look forward to hearing from you! Dixie Callan, PT, DPT Staff Physical Therapist 10355 N LaCanada Dr, Suite 125 Oro Valley, AZ 85737 Phone: 520-822-8640 Fax: 520-822-8641 Email: dcallan@idealrehab.com

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ScienceDaily (May 1, 2012) Scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center have identified a key mechanism of action for the TOR (target of rapamycin) protein kinase, a critical regulator of cell growth which plays a major role in illness and aging. This finding not only illuminates the physiology of aging but could lead to new treatments to increase lifespan and control age-related conditions, such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, and neurodegeneration.

Over the past decade, studies have shown that inhibiting TOR activity, which promotes cell growth by regulating protein synthesis, increases lifespan in a variety of species including flies and mice; in recent years research has focused on uncovering the precise mechanisms underlying this effect. The Joslin study, published in the May 2 issue of Cell Metabolism, reports that TOR has a direct impact on two master gene regulator proteins -- SKN-1 and DAF-16 -which control genes that protect against environmental, metabolic and proteotoxic stress. The TOR kinase acts in two signaling pathways, TORC1 and TORC2. When TORC1 is inhibited, SKN-1 and DAF-16 are mobilized, leading to activation of protective genes that increase stress resistance and longevity. This new finding was demonstrated in experiments with C. elegans, a microscopic worm used as a model organism, but activation of protective genes was also observed in mice. Most findings in C. elegans have turned out to be applicable to mice and humans.

"We uncovered a critical mechanism in the relationship between TOR and aging and disease. There is a homeostatic relationship between protein synthesis and stress defenses: when protein synthesis is reduced, stress defenses increase," says lead author T. Keith Blackwell, MD, PhD, co-head of the Joslin Islet Cell & Regenerative Biology Section and Professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School. The Blackwell lab studies the aging process and how it is influenced by insulin and other metabolic regulatory mechanisms.

TOR activity, which is essential for early development but can lead to age-related decline, is implicated in a variety of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. In diabetes, TOR has both positive and negative effects: It promotes beta cell growth and insulin production but inappropriate TORC1 activity leads to insulin resistance and beta cell demise, as well as fat accumulation. At the same time, insufficient TORC2 activity can lead to insulin resistance.

The new results on TOR and SKN-1 suggest that SKN-1 might have a positive effects in Type 2 diabetes: "Turning on this pathway could be important in defending against the effects of high glucose, and promoting beta cell health" says Blackwell.

In the study, TOR activity was inhibited by genetic interference and the TOR-inhibitor rapamycin, a naturally occurring compound which is used as an immunosuppressant in organ transplants, and has been shown to increase lifespan in mice. Using rapamycin or related drugs to treat diseases affected by TOR has been a subject of intense interest among scientists and clinicians. The study found that rapamycin inhibits both TORC1 and TORC2, which will interest scientists investigating rapamycin as a pharmaceutical. "We need to increase understanding of rapamycin and its effects on TOR activity to determine how targeting TOR or processes it controls can help treat diseases that involve TOR and derangement of metabolism. We also need to look at therapies that work on TORC1 and TORC2 independently," said Blackwell. However, one caveat with TOR inhibition is that the kinase plays such a central role in the basic physiology of growing and dividing cells. The new results suggest that in some situations we might want to bypass TOR itself, and directly harness beneficial processes that are controlled by SKN-1 or DAF-16.

Future research will focus on gaining a deeper understanding of how TOR acts on beneficial defense pathways and affects aging and disease. "In science, we are always looking for ways to interfere with mechanisms that promote aging and disease in ways that are beneficial to people," says Blackwell.

The study was supported by supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of General Medical Sciences) and the Ellison Medical Foundation.

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Important mechanism that affects the aging process identified

Newswise Scientists now have a better understanding of how precise memories are formed thanks to research led by Prof. Jean-Claude Lacaille of the University of Montreals Department of Physiology. In terms of human applications, these findings could help us to better understand memory impairments in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease, Lacaille said. The study looks at the cells in our brains, or neurons, and how they work together as a group to form memories. Chemical receptors at neuron interconnections called synapses enable these cells to form electrical networks that encode memories, and neurons are classified into two groups according to the type of chemical they produce: excitatory, who produce chemicals that increase communication between neurons, and inhibitory, who have the opposite effect, decreasing communication. Scientists knew that inhibitory cells enable us to refine our memories, to make them specific to a precise set of information, Lacaille explained. Our findings explain for the first time how this happens at the molecular and cell levels.

Many studies have been undertaken on excitatory neurons, but very little research has been done on inhibitory neurons, partly because they are very difficult to study. The scientists found that a factor called CREB plays a key role in adjusting gene expression and the strength of synapses in inhibitory neurons. Proteins are biochemical compounds encoded in our genes that enable cells to perform their various functions, and new proteins are necessary for memory formation. We were able to study how synapses of inhibitory neurons taken from rats are modified in the 24 hours following the formation of a memory, Lacaille said. In the laboratory, we simulated the formation of a new memory by using chemicals. We then measured the electrical activity within the network of cells. In cells where we had removed CREB, we saw that the strength of the electrical connections was much weaker. Conversely, when we increased the presence of CREB, the connections were stronger.

This new understanding of the chemical functioning of the brain may one day lead to new treatments for disorders like Alzheimers, as researchers will be able to look at these synaptic mechanisms and design drugs that target the chemicals involved. We knew that problems with synapse modifications are amongst the roots of the cognitive symptoms suffered by the victims of neurodegenerative diseases, Lacaille said. These findings shine light on the neurobiological basis of their memory problems. However, we are unfortunately many years away from developing new treatments from this information.

The findings were published in the Journal of Neuroscience on May 2, 2012. The researchers received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Fonds de recherche du Qubec Sant. Jean-Claude Lacaille is the Canada Research Chair in Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology. Israeli Ran, recipient of a Fellowship of the Savoy Foundation, and Isabel Laplante contributed to this research. All three researchers were affiliated with the Department of Physiology and the Groupe de Recherche sur le Systme Nerveux Central of the University of Montreal when the research was undertaken. The University of Montreal is officially known as Universit de Montral.

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Neuro Researchers Sharpen Our Understanding of Memories

Public release date: 26-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Nicholas A. Burd nick.burd@maastrichtuniversity.nl Canadian Science Publishing (NRC Research Press)

Ottawa, Ontario (April 23, 2012) Weight training at a lower intensity but with more repetitions may be as effective for building muscle as lifting heavy weights says a new opinion piece in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.

"The perspective provided in this review highlights that other resistance protocols, beyond the often discussed high-intensity training, can be effective in stimulating a muscle building response that may translate into bigger muscles after resistance training," says lead author Nicholas Burd. "These findings have important implications from a public health standpoint because skeletal muscle mass is a large contributor to daily energy expenditure and it assists in weight management. Additionally, skeletal muscle mass, because of its overall size, is the primary site of blood sugar disposal and thus will likely play a role in reducing the risk for development of type II diabetes."

The authors from McMaster University conducted a series of experiments that manipulated various resistance exercise variables (e.g., intensity, volume, and muscle time under tension). They found that high-intensity muscle contractions derived from lifting heavy loads were not the only drivers of exercise-induced muscle development. In resistance-trained young men a lower workout intensity and a higher volume of repetitions of resistance exercise, performed until failure, was equally effective in stimulating muscle proteins as a heavy workout intensity at lower repetition rates. An additional benefit of the low-intensity workout is that the higher repetitions required to achieve fatigue will also be beneficial for sustaining the muscle building response for days.

###

The perspective "Bigger weights may not beget bigger muscles: evidence from acute muscle protein synthetic responses after resistance exercise" appears in the June issue of Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.

For more information contact:

Corresponding author: Nicholas A. Burd (e-mail: nick.burd@maastrichtuniversity.nl).

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Building muscle without heavy weights

Are you interested in spending a year abroad – taking classes, performing a research project, or teaching English – after you graduate?
Then you should consider applying for the Fulbright Program for U.S. Students. The Fulbright is one of the most prestigious awards available for U.S. students. It is open to individuals from any discipline. The award supports a year in one of over 130countries, during which you can take classes, carry out a research project, or serve as an English Teaching Assistant. Undergraduates who will have a Bachelor’s degree by August 2013, alumni, and graduate students are eligible to apply. Find out more at the:
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A TEAM of US scientists departed yesterday to conduct research on Mount Everest climbers in an effort to further knowledge of the cardiovascular system at extreme altitudes and help improve treatment for heart and lung patients.

Bruce Johnson, a consultant on cardiovascular diseases at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and leader of the group, said the study subjects will be a US team that plans to replicate the first 1963 ascent by a US team.

That expedition put five US climbers on the summit, two climbing the difficult and then-untested West Ridge route and the rest along the normal Southeast Ridge route which was used by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in their pioneering 1953 ascent.

Nearly 3,700 people have climbed Mount Everest, also known as Qomolangma, the world's highest peak at 8,850 meters, since then.

"We are interested in lung physiology in high altitude, which is similar to the lung physiology in heart failure patients," Johnson said

Johnson said each of the nine climbers, who are already at the mountain acclimatizing, will be fitted with equipment including a special wrist watch and an arm band that will allow their body to be monitored at a base camp laboratory.

The watch will measure the blood oxygen level and the specially designed arm band will show energy used and how many calories they burn.

Climbers will also be wearing the "Mayo platform," an instrument devised by the clinic that fits in a tiny pocket on the climber's clothing and will measure their cardiovascular activity, Johnson said.

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Eastday-Tests on Everest team to help in lung physiology

L. Gabriel Navar Recipient of Walter B. Cannon Award

Newswise SAN DIEGOL. Gabriel (Gabby) Navar, Ph.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Physiology, and Co-Director of the Renal and Hypertension Center at Tulane Health Sciences Center, will receive the American Physiological Societys (APS) Walter B. Cannon Award at this years annual meeting. It is the Societys pre-eminent lecture award and is designed to recognize an outstanding scientist for his or her contributions to the field. Dr. Navars selection acknowledges his significant contributions to the study of renal (kidney) physiology and its relationship to hypertension (high blood pressure).

Renal Physiology and Hypertension Dr. Navars early work focused on understanding basic interactions between the blood flow to the kidneys and the amount of salt and water excreted from the body, and eventually the interactions between blood pressure and the excretion of salt and water. Over time, he and others came to understand that the kidneys ability to regulate excretion of salt and water was very important in regulating blood pressure and that blood pressure was also important in regulating the bodys salt and water balance.

They also came to understand that the most important hormonal system involved in regulating salt balance in the body is the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Ultimately they discovered that this system affects salt excretion through multiple actions and that the RAS plays a key role in regulating blood pressure and, when inappropriately activated, causing hypertension. He and others have now focused their efforts on understanding how this system becomes disrupted in a way that leads to hypertension and, by interacting with other systems, causes injury to the kidneys and other organs.

These findings have been important in helping physicians, researchers, and others find ways to address the skyrocketing problem of hypertension. This disorder affects one in three American adults and can lead to heart disease and stroke, the first and third leading causes of death in the United States. In 2010 the cost of hypertension was approximately $93.5 billion.

A Career in Science and Service Dr. Navars original intent on entering college was to become a veterinarian but during his academic studies, he was greatly influenced by famed University of Mississippi physiologist Arthur C. Guyton who was the catalyst for the course change in his scientific career. Under Dr. Guyton, Navar went on to receive his Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi. He also spent a year at Duke University, where he learned techniques to study the function of individual nephrons in the kidneys. He held faculty appointments at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine and at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine.

In 1988 he joined Tulane University School of Medicine where he has built a successful research program which has contributed significantly to fundamental research in the areas of renal hemodynamics, hypertension, and the RAS. Though the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 left a devastating impact on the Hypertension and Renal Center that Navar co-directs, the programs ultimately rebounded as robust as ever.

Dr. Navar is a former President of the APS and former Associate Editor of the American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology, and has been active on many of the Societys committees. In 2006 he received the Distinguished Mentor and Scientist award from the APS Women in Physiology Committee in recognition of his dedication and commitment to training young physiologists. He received the Ray G. Daggs Award in 2008 from APS for his service contributions to the Society.

Dr. Navar will be the 30th recipient of the Cannon Award which will be presented on Saturday, April 21. Immediately afterward he will deliver the Physiology in Perspective: The Walter B. Cannon Award Lecture. His lecture is entitled, The Wisdom of the Body Revisited: A Tribute to Walter B. Cannon and His Concept of Homeostasis as applied to Pathophysiology of Hypertension. The events are part of the 125th anniversary of the APS which is part of the meeting Experimental Biology 2012, being held April 21-25 at the San Diego Convention Center.

About the Cannon Award Walter B. Cannon was a renowned physiologist who is best known for his development of the concept of the emergency function of the sympathetic nervous system. This led to the development of the key physiological concept of homeostasis. Dr. Cannon was affiliated with the APS for nearly 40 years, including two terms as president (1914-1916). He is commemorated each year with the Walter B. Cannon Memorial Lecture, a plenary lecture given at the Societys annual meeting.

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Tulane University Professor to Receive American Physiological Society's Top Honor

18-04-2012 20:26 Anatomy Project: 4/19/2012 Reena Melissa Branden Robbie Thanks for watching!

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UI freshman physiology major starts clothing line

BY JULIA JESSEN | APRIL 19, 2012 6:30 AM

The design on Androu De Vera's black T-shirt is striking. The graphic letters in pure white boldly stand out in stylized script against the dark background of the shirt.

De Vera created the design himself. It was the first image he came up with for the clothing line he started last fall, Fresh to Death Society.

"It's very simple. It's to the point," he said. "I always like simplicity; that's how the whole design came out it wasn't too extravagant."

Failing a chemistry test spurred the 19-year-old to an activity he found comfort in: drawing. He created the first design on paper, showed his friends and decided to start his own clothing company, something he had thought about for a while before the fateful test.

"I just love the fashion," De Vera said. "I always liked to dress different from everyone else I don't like to look the same as everyone else."

The human physiology major started the line with his own savings and a loan from his parents, who would prefer that he stay focused on his medical studies.

"At first they thought it was really silly, like what are you doing, you're wasting your time," he said.

But De Vera's parents did start to feel a little better about his extracurricular pursuits when he showed them the growing following forFresh to Death Society.

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UI freshman physiology major starts clothing line